Welcome to the start of another year at Rice! This is my favorite time of year. The academic calendar follows a cyclical rhythm — each spring is a bittersweet goodbye as our seniors move on to the next stage of their lives, and then before you know it, the excitement of greeting our New Students is upon us.

Rice University students and staff members found offensive flyers in at least two locations around campus on Thursday, prompting a Rice University Police Department investigation and a response from President David Leebron via Twitter. New students arrive this weekend for Orientation Week.

While attending the four-day festival was enough to give us some pretty persistent post-concert depression (not to mention legs of steel and black festival snot for days), there were some parts that we won’t really miss — like the canned water and soul-sucking L trip back to our Airbnb. While not all aspects of Lollapalooza may have been worth storming the fence for, there were certainly many that left a lasting impression, and reasons that Lollapalooza stood out as a festival to remember.

Gilbert "Doc C" Cuthbertson, professor of political science and longtime Will Rice College resident associate, died on July 21 in Tulsa, Oklahoma after a brief illness, according to Rice News. He was 81. Cuthbertson joined Rice faculty in 1963 and spent 55 years as a resident associate at Will Rice.

Summer is here, which means festival season. Chicago is prepping for Lollapalooza, its annual four-day festival in scenic Grant Park. This year’s lineup is packed with musical sensations like Childish Gambino, Twenty One Pilots, Ariana Grande and more. In addition to their high-profile headliners, the festival will also be welcoming a diverse range of rising artists. The one thing that will be harder than finding time to see all the amazing acts will be trying to survive outdoors with thousands of other people during one of the hottest summers on record. To ensure that you have a good time at one of the nation’s most iconic music festivals, here are some tips on how to have a positive, meaningful experience at one of the biggest events of the summer.

Though it’s not as flamboyant as Coachella or as conveniently located as Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza, which will take place over four days starting this Thursday, is an iconic summer affair that kicks off festival season with a bang. Much of this year’s lineup overlaps with that of upcoming fests like ACL and Seattle’s Labor Day bash Bumbershoot, making Lollapalooza a great opportunity to discover the next big thing before your friends do.

Rice athletics’ decision to construct a three million dollar indoor recreation facility encompassing the Beer Bike track has sparked discussion among members of the Rice community on the decision making process and future usage.

Class of 2019 graduates came to Saturday morning’s commencement with their caps, gowns, stoles and umbrellas. Despite forecasted downpours and the proposed alternative venue of Tudor Fieldhouse, both Friday and Saturday ceremonies were held outside. Like their matriculation ceremony four years ago, the graduates saw rain fall as they were granted their degrees.

With Father of the Bride, Vampire Weekend makes their triumphant return, delivering a record that poignantly captures modern skepticism about the environment, faith and love in radiant melodies that are sure to saturate your summer playlist.

Last summer I had the opportunity to work for a railroad company in an industry known for not being gender diverse. Through this job, I experienced firsthand the importance of diversity and inclusion going hand-in-hand.

Student-run business The Hoot announced Wednesday that they would no longer serve food from fast food chain Chick-fil-A beginning next fall, citing misalignment between Chick-fil-A’s corporate values and The Hoot’s values.

After earning victory in the Conference USA Championship final for the sixth time in seven years, the Rice Owls women’s tennis team is set to compete in both team and individual postseason play at the NCAA Championship.

On Saturday, the Central Quad came alive as a multitude of students and community members gathered on picnic blankets for the 28th annual ktru outdoor show. The show, lasting eight total hours, featured a diverse mix of acts from the quirky indie duo Coco & Clair Clair to the intimidating performance of Kilo Kish.

The current dean of architecture, Sarah Whiting, will leave Rice this summer to become the first female dean of Harvard Graduate School of Design. Whiting has been dean since 2010 and oversaw many pivotal changes in the school of architecture, such as the implementation of the “Totalization” program, an immersive studio experience for fifth-year and advanced graduate architecture students.